In a thrilling climax to the tennis season, the Athens Championship will see a highly anticipated duel between top seed Novak Djokovic and second seed Lorenzo Musetti. Meanwhile, the Metz finals will feature Cameron Norrie facing off against Learner Tien.
In Athens, all eyes will be on the match between Djokovic, the of the world’s best players, and the 23-year-old Musetti. For Musetti, this match not only represents a chance to secure the Athens title but also serves as a critical opportunity to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals. If Musetti emerges victorious, he will claim the last available spot in the end-of-year showdown. Conversely, a loss would dash his hopes, allowing Felix Auger-Aliassime to take his place in Turin.
Musetti’s journey to the finals has not been without its challenges. Earlier this week, he found himself in a precarious position during his second-round match against Stan Wawrinka, nearly facing an early exit before completing a hard-fought comeback with a scoreline of 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4. In the semi-finals, he saved a match point against Sebastian Korda, ultimately prevailing 6-0, 5-7, 7-5. On the other hand, Djokovic has displayed a commanding performance throughout the tournament, winning each of his three matches—against Alejandro Tabilo, Nuno Borges, and Yannick Hanfmann—without dropping a set. The head-to-head record heavily favors Djokovic, who leads with an 8-1 advantage over Musetti.
Expect a fiercely competitive match between these two, but Djokovic’s experience and current form lead us to predict he will clinch the title in three sets.
Over in Metz, the dynamic pairing of Norrie and Tien will write another chapter in their ongoing rivalry. Their upcoming contest marks the fourth encounter between the two players this season, with Tien currently leading the series 2-1. Tien’s victories came at the ATP 500 event in Acapulco and the Shanghai Masters, both concluded with scores of 7-6(5) and 7-6(4), respectively. Norrie’s sole win against Tien was earlier this year at the inaugural Hong Kong tournament.
Norrie has certainly had to battle hard to reach the finals, having required three sets in all of his matches, including stunning comebacks against both Arthur Cazaux and Lorenzo Sonego. In contrast, Tien, the rising 19-year-old American, has advanced with relative ease, losing just one set during his matches against Ugo Blanchet, Moez Echargui, Matteo Berrettini, and Vitality Sachko. Given Tien’s recent form, one might favor him to extend his winning streak against Norrie to three matches, also in a closely contested three-set affair.
As both finals draw near, tennis fans can expect intense action, strategic play, and passionate performances from both seasoned champions and rising stars.
